Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving has been the kickoff of the holiday shopping season.

ThatâÂÂs not the case anymore.

Two of LawrenceâÂÂs three large discount retail chains will be open today Ãi¿½” Thanksgiving Day Ãi¿½” to cash in on holiday shoppersâ rush to get started.

âÂÂThe real advantage is to the customer for the last-minute Thanksgiving things they forget,â said Jim Papa, store director at Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa.

But, Papa said, people looking for emergency turkey-day touch-ups wonâÂÂt be the only ones in the store.

âÂÂWhen the guys are watching football, the ladies like to come out and browse and maybe get an early start on their Christmas shopping,â he said.

ThatâÂÂs the kind of shopper Papa and Kmart store manager Jon Rose are counting on today.

Wal-Mart will stick to its regular 24-hour schedule, while Kmart, 3106 Iowa, will be open an hour earlier than usual, at 7 a.m. It will keep its doors open until 11 p.m.

âÂÂIt gives us a jump on the holiday season,â Rose said. âÂÂItâÂÂs the same for the customer, too.âÂÂ

Other big department stores will be opening early Friday to cater to shoppers in a hurry to start spending. J.C. Penney, 3311 Iowa; KohlâÂÂs, 3240 Iowa, and Sears, 2727 Iowa, all are set to open at 6 a.m. WeaverâÂÂs Department Store, 901 Mass., will open a half-hour early Friday, at 9 a.m.

Shrugging off the Thanksgiving tradition is a strategy more retail companies are adapting, said Peggy Johnson, a certified financial planner with American Express Financial Advisors.

âÂÂRetailers nowadays have to do anything they can to get ahead,â she said. âÂÂThey have to make themselves accessible to the public.âÂÂ

With consumer confidence creeping back up after sagging to a nine-year low in early November and with Thanksgiving being later in November than usual, retailers are willing to do whatever they can to accommodate shoppers this season.

That means longer hours, better deals and more employees in many cases.

âÂÂEverybody but four employees will be working,â Rose said, âÂÂand they wonâÂÂt be working because they have to go home for Thanksgiving.âÂÂ

In Lawrence, Target is the only big discounter that will sit out the holiday.

Brett Schubert, store team leader, said the decision to remain closed on Thanksgiving had more to do with the companyâÂÂs employees than potential customers.

âÂÂTraditionally, TargetâÂÂs never been open on Thanksgiving,â he said. âÂÂWe think itâÂÂs important to our team members to have the day off, so we donâÂÂt open.âÂÂ

Still, Schubert knows there are always people wanting to shop.

âÂÂThatâÂÂs sales you can capture,â he said. âÂÂIf youâÂÂre closed, youâÂÂre guaranteeing that you arenâÂÂt going to get any sales. ThatâÂÂs a decision you have to weigh.âÂÂ

And just like the customers who drive their businesses, store owners in and around Lawrence are ready to deal with the holiday blitz as best they can.

âÂÂIt takes a little bit of manpower to get it organized,â Papa said. âÂÂWeâÂÂll have 23 check-outs up front, a couple people in sporting goods, electronics and jewelry, and a ton of sales help and carry-out people ready to go.âÂÂ